Vintage China Scores

I took an unexpected road trip this weekend with my daughter and although it was a pretty long drive, I negotiated two quick stops along the way. In exchange for a $1 payment to said child, I was given permission to spend a few complaint-free minutes in two of my favorite thrift shops. The dollar was meant to be for her to wisely spend in the store. See, I wasn't really bribing! I was trying to encourage an understanding of the value of money and budgets. However, somehow she conned me into buying the books that she picked out while she kept the dollar. Perhaps I am the one that needs a lesson in money management.

But nevertheless, I am so very glad I stopped, because I scored lots of vintage china! At the first shop, I just about lunged over two elderly ladies when I spotted this set of four dinner plates, bowls, cups, and saucers in one of my two patterns. It was priced a little higher than I'd like, but since I rarely see it in my thrifting adventures, I decided that the regret would be overwhelming if I didn't pick it up.

The pattern is called Dixie Dogwood by Joni and my collection began (like so many of my other collections) when I inherited a few pieces from my mother. I think they originally belonged to my grandmother. I like it on its own merits, but the fact that my mother and grandmother owned the pattern makes it even more special. It just makes me happy when I see it.

At the first stop I also found a set of cups and saucers and some bread and butter plates in the Sheffield Serenade pattern that a friend collects. This is my friend who so generously gave me all the Harkerware awhile back, so you can be sure I was beyond delighted to be able to pick these up for her.

And then on to the next store, where I was amazed to find more of her pattern!  Eight dinner plates, two small bowls, the hard-to-find matching gravy boat and covered butter dish, and several more cups and saucers and bread plates. I'd been looking for this pattern for my friend for quite some time and had always come up empty-handed. I still can't believe I found such a load of it in back-to-back stores on the same day on a trip that I hadn't meant to take--the thrift gods were smiling that day for sure. Even better, when I went up to pay for the dishes, the lady told me they were half price so they were a huge score. I can't wait to give them to my friend!